Corruption Watchdog Admits to Misapplying US$30,000

The chairperson of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has admitted to misapplying US$30,000 approved by the Ministry of Finance for employees’ remittance.

Instead of using the amount to pay the remittances Cllr. James Verdier said he used the money to purchase a 15 KVA Electrical Generator for the entity with the consent of employees of the entity.

employees and commissioners of the entity interviewed by this paper Friday said they were not aware of any meeting at the entity to decide on the purchasing of such electrical generator.

One commissioner speaking under condition of anonymity said, “I can tell you there was no board meeting to the effect because such a decision is usually taking during a board meeting but in this case, no board meeting was convened,”

Employees also told this paper that the generator in question was not purchased with the remittance money. They said it was the government of Liberia that purchased the generator from BEEVER Company in Clara Town, Bushroad Island.

In an interview Friday, Cllr.James N.Verdier admitted that the Ministry of Finance agreed to pay US$ 30,000 of the employees’ remittance but said he used it to purchase the generator, which he said, was a necessity for the entity.

He said the lack of electricity was impeding the works of the entity so it was preferable to purchase the generator.

Meanwhile, Cllr. Verdier has written a communication to the General Auditing Commission to conduct a payroll audit of the LACC to examine and provide expert opinion on the salary reimbursement between June 2015 to May 2016 and April 2017 and the acquisition of the generator.

He agrees that the request comes in the wake of media reports alleging that some former employees are claiming that their remittances were misappropriated or misapplied.

Cllr. Verdier said these allegations have claimed public interest and generated a lot of reactions, casting doubt upon the integrity and credibility of LACC.